System, Process, and Device for Multiple Network Usage Tracking

ABSTRACT

A system for multiple network usage tracking, the system having a policy management platform having one or more processors able to receive and to calculate account usage data associated with an account profile, the policy management platform arranged externally from a network of at least one wireless carrier.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/986,191, filed May 22, 2018 now U.S. Pat. No. 10,349,241 issued Jul.9, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety;which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/215,985,filed Jul. 21, 2016 now U.S. Pat. No. 9,980,115 issued May 22, 2018,which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thisapplication also claims the benefit from U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/195,095 filed on Jul. 21, 2015, which is hereby incorporated byreference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 1. Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to a wireless service provider system and methodfor tracking multiple network usage associated with a wireless useraccount. More particularly, the disclosure relates to systems, devices,and methods for tracking and managing usage of any wireless device orcombination of wireless devices associated with a wireless account usedacross multiple networks and wireless carriers.

2. Related Art

Wireless service plans have been contemplated for the use of wirelessdevices across multiple carriers. However, because different carrierstypically employ different systems and platforms to collect usage dataand because service plans for use with multiple carriers would typicallyneed to aggregate data from those carriers, it has been found toodifficult for service providers to track the usage of such serviceplans. Existing systems for usage tracking employ a radio infrastructureand mobile packet core networks of wireless carriers. These systems usemethods that rely on the inspection of data traffic through a thirdparty vendor. Such reliance can be costly and inefficient.

A need exists to provide a device, system, and method for more efficientand effective tracking and managing wireless device usage acrossmultiple networks.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the disclosure,providing a device, system, and method for tracking and managingwireless device usage across multiple networks.

In one aspect, a system for multiple network usage tracking includes apolicy management platform for a network operator, the policy managementplatform having one or more processors configured to receive, from atleast one wireless carrier, and to calculate account usage dataassociated with an account profile, the policy management platformarranged externally from a network of the at least one wireless carrier.

The policy management platform may be further configured to collect,from at least one gateway support node associated with the at least onewireless carrier, and to aggregate the account usage data associatedwith the account profile. The policy management platform may be furtherconfigured to determine whether the collected and aggregated accountusage data associated with the account profile has exceeded apredetermined usage threshold. The policy management platform may beconfigured to notify an enforcement manager when the account usage dataassociated with the account profile has exceeded the predetermined usagethreshold. The policy management platform may be further configured totransmit a message to a wireless device notifying the wireless devicethat the account usage data has exceeded a predetermined usagethreshold. The policy management platform may be further configured todetermine whether the collected and aggregated account usage data forone wireless carrier has reached a predetermined usage threshold. Thepolicy management platform may be further configured to transmit atermination request to the one wireless carrier in response todetermining that the collected and aggregated account usage data for theone wireless carrier has reached the predetermined usage threshold. Thepolicy management platform may be further configured to transmit anotification message to a mobile virtual network operator that theaccount usage data has reached a predetermined usage threshold.

In another aspect, a device for multiple network usage tracking includesone or more processors configured to receive account usage data from aplurality of networks for an account profile associated with a wirelessdevice, aggregate the account usage data from each of the networks forthe account profile, determine whether the account usage data from theaccount profile has reached a predetermined usage threshold, andtransmit a termination request to one or more of the networks, thetermination request requesting termination of service to the wirelessdevice.

In another aspect, a method for multiple network usage tracking includesreceiving with a policy management platform having one or moreprocessors, from at least one wireless carrier, account usage data foran account profile operatively linked to a wireless device registered onthe account profile and configured to connect to the at least onewireless carrier, aggregating the account usage data at the policymanagement platform, and determining with the policy managementplatform, in response to aggregating the account usage data, whether theaccount usage data has reached a predetermined usage threshold.

The method may further include transmitting a termination request, withthe policy management platform to the at least one wireless carrier, toterminate the connection between the wireless device and the at leastone wireless carrier. The receiving the account usage data may furtherinclude receiving the account usage data transmitted with at least oneof a radius protocol and a diameter protocol from the least one wirelesscarrier. The predetermined usage threshold for the account may include ausage limit for each wireless carrier. The determining whether theaccount usage data has reached the predetermined usage threshold mayfurther include determining, with the policy management platform,whether the account usage data for one wireless carrier has reached theusage limit for the one wireless carrier. The method may further includetransmitting a termination request, with the policy management platformto the one wireless carrier, to terminate the connection between thewireless device and the one wireless carrier in response to determiningthat the account usage data for the one wireless carrier has reached theusage limit. The method may further include verifying the account usagedata with the policy management platform, where the policy managementplatform is configured to verify the account usage data with the onewireless carrier. The receiving the account usage data may includereceiving the account usage data in predetermined time intervals. Thedetermining whether the account usage data has reached the predeterminedusage threshold may further include determining, with the policymanagement platform, whether the account usage data for two or morewireless carriers has reached the usage limit for the two or more onewireless carriers. The predetermined usage threshold for the account mayinclude a usage limit for two or more wireless carriers in combination.The determining whether the account usage data has reached thepredetermined usage threshold may further include determining, with thepolicy management platform, whether the account usage data for the twoor more wireless carriers in combination has reached the usage limit forthe two or more wireless carriers in combination.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain aspects of thedisclosure in order that the detailed description thereof herein may bebetter understood, and in order that the present contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects ofthe disclosure that will be described below and which will also form thesubject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one aspect of the disclosurein detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited inits application to the details of construction and to the arrangementsof the components set forth in the following description or illustratedin the drawings. The disclosure is capable of aspects in addition tothose described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptionupon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the disclosure. It is important, therefore,that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructionsinsofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of thedisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned features and aspects of the disclosure will becomemore apparent with reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like referencenumerals denote like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates components and a flow chart for a Mobile VirtualNetwork Operator (MVNO) user to oversee at least one wireless carrier ornetwork through a policy management platform, in accordance with aspectsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of the policy management platformthrough which the MVNO user supervises at least one wireless carrier ornetwork, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a usage data accounting process using a Radiusprocess, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a usage data accounting process using a Diameterprocess, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates the connection of core networks to the MVNO, inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary wireless device, in accordance withaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates a process flow for provisioning a wireless device onan MVNO user account, in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates a process flow for determining that a wireless devicedoes not have a valid MVNO profile authorized for use, in accordancewith aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates a process flow for starting a user session with usagedata reporting on the policy management platform, in accordance withaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates a process flow for tracking data consumptionassociated with the MVNO account and responding to that data consumptionreaching predetermined usage thresholds, in accordance with aspects ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates a process of tracking usage data and managing theMVNO account with the policy management platform on the MVNO side, inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 illustrates a process of a carrier or network reporting usagedata to the MVNO policy management platform, in accordance with aspectsof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In this specification and claims it is to be understood that referenceto a wireless device is intended to encompass electronic devices such asmobile phones, tablet computers, gaming systems, MP3 players, personalcomputers, PDAs, and the like. A “wireless device” is intended toencompass any compatible mobile technology computing device that canconnect to a wireless communication network, such as mobile phones,mobile equipment, mobile stations, user equipment, cellular phones,smartphones, handsets, or the like (e.g., Apple iPhone, Google Androidbased devices, BlackBerry based devices, other types of PDAs orsmartphones), wireless dongles, remote alert devices, machine to machinedevice (M2M), wireless Fidelity hotspot, Internet of things (IoT) deviceor other mobile computing devices that may be supported by a wirelessnetwork. The term “wireless device” may be interchangeably used andreferred to herein as “wireless handset,” “handset,” “mobile device,”“device,” “mobile phones,” “mobile equipment,” “mobile station,” “userequipment,” “cellular phone,” “smartphones,” “monitoring device” or“phone.”

Wireless devices may connect to a “wireless network” or “network” andare intended to encompass any type of wireless network to obtain orprovide mobile phone services through the use of a wireless device, suchas the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) network,Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, 2G network, 3G network, 4Gnetwork, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network, 5G network that may utilizethe teachings of the present application to sell, activate, monitor,redeem, and/or track, the use of one or more wireless devices.

Reference in this specification to “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “otheraspects,” “one or more aspects” or the like means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theaspect is included in at least one aspect of the disclosure. Theappearances of, for example, the phrase “in one aspect” in variousplaces in the specification are not necessarily all referring to thesame aspect, nor are separate or alternative aspects mutually exclusiveof other aspects. Moreover, various features are described which may beexhibited by some aspects and not by others. Similarly, variousrequirements are described, which may be requirements for some aspectsbut not for other aspects.

It may be desirable for a service provider to rely on the infrastructureof one or more carriers for tracking usage data by receiving a signalingfeed from the carriers. It may also be desirable for a service providerto incorporate wireless traffic generated through Wi-Fi partners of theservice account to a policy management solution to control and offer newpackages related to Wi-Fi traffic. A system allowing for such usagetracking may provide a better customer experience, a fastertime-to-market, a lower total cost of ownership, and increasedprofitability of the service provider.

The policy management solution disclosed herein may combine all carrierfeeds into one platform where service plans can be created and/ormonitored across multiple carriers. The policy management solution mayalso allow the service provider to make real-time decisions related tosubscriber access to network resources based on factors such as volume,speed, application type, and/or priority. Real-time control over what,when, where, and how subscribers may access content and services mayallow the service provider to deliver innovative and personalizedservices that enhance end-user experience.

Generally, companies that provide post-paid wireless services arewireless carriers or Mobile Network Operators (MNO) that maintain andcontrol their own wireless networks. An MNO heavily relies on backendsystems to address any provisional, billing, security, and data issuesthat might threaten the health of their networks. On the other hand, aMobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) is a mobile operator thattypically does not own its own frequency spectrum or have its ownnetwork infrastructure. MVNOs negotiate and enter into businessagreements with third party wireless carriers or MNOs to purchase theright to use their networks for wireless services including volume ofdata and number of minutes/text messages used.

A large number of wireless service plans exist for customers desiringwireless services such as data, talk, text messaging, and/or the like.The wireless providers of those services need to be able to monitor andtrack usage of any wireless device associated with a wireless account.Each wireless device associated with the wireless account may use avariety of carriers and networks, thus the wireless providers of theseservices must be able to determine the use of any and all wirelessdevices linked to the account from any and all carriers and networksproviding a usage platform for the devices. This monitoring and managingof account usage can be accomplished with the disclosed system thatcollects all account usage data from any source providing service to thewireless devices and communicates with those sources in order to manageusage of the account.

Convenience, timeliness, and reliability of the wireless providers'systems are key factors that play into a user's experience. Bydeveloping a system to improve at least these factors, a more positiveexperience can be provided to the user. The improved experience willhelp retain a customer base and increase the amount of customers willingto purchase wireless services from MNOs and MVNOs. In order to do so,the following needs can be addressed by with a system, method, anddevice for tracking the use of wireless devices across multiplenetworks.

The device, system, and method may allow for receiving data usage fromeach carrier or network used, updating the user account to reflect thedata usage received from each network, determining whether a magnitudeof data usage from any or all carriers has exceeded a maximum value,determining whether to terminate usage, sending enforcement requests tocarriers, and verifying data usage. The disclosure provides an exemplaryimplementation in a MVNO environment. However, the disclosure is equallyapplicable to implementation in a MNO environment.

FIG. 1 illustrates components and a flow chart for the connection of aMobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) user to at least one wirelesscarrier or network through a policy management platform, in accordancewith aspects of the present disclosure. Referring now to FIG. 1,components of a system providing wireless access to a wireless device 10to a variety of wireless networks, which may include one or morecarriers 300, through a policy management platform 12 are shown. Thewireless device 10 and/or user may connect to the policy managementplatform 12 (also called a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF)Cluster) via a self-service application server 14 or other means. Thepolicy management platform 12 may communicate with a subscriber profilerepository (SPR) cluster element 16 via an Active Programming Interface(API) integration element 18 in order to verify and authenticate thewireless device 10 user account. The policy management platform 12 andthe SPR cluster element 16 may each have one or more processors orservers (not shown) configured to perform the operations describedherein, and may have one or more transceivers (not shown) capable oftransmitting and receiving data on a communication channel as describedherein. The system may include an API integration element 18 that may bea hardware and/or software interface, which facilitates thecommunication between processes and platforms.

The SPR cluster element 16 can provide additional services from avariety of sources that may be implemented as servers, including an adserving integration element 20, the MVNO mobile web element 22, an SMScampaign management element 24, an SPR user interface element 26, MVNOweb services element 28, and the like. Each of these sources may haveone or more processors or servers (not shown) to perform the functionsdescribed herein. The ad serving integration element 20 may provideadvertisements to the wireless device 10, and the MVNO mobile webelement 22 may provide mobile Internet service to the wireless device10. Both of the ad serving integration element 20 and the MVNO mobileweb element 22 may interface with the SPR cluster element 16 via amobile web platform element 30 and an API integration element 32. TheSMS campaign management element 24 may provide SMS messaging to thewireless device 10 and may interface with the SPR cluster element 16 viaa messaging element 34 and an API integration element 32. The mobile webplatform element 30 and the messaging element 34 may be monitored with amonitoring system 36 that may communicate with the SPR cluster element16 via a simple network management protocol (SNMP) 21. The MVNO webservices element 28 may communicate rate and plan changes 11, devicenumber changes 13, self-service integration 15, equipment inquiryservice 17, remove subscriber requests 19, and the like to and from theSPR cluster element 16. The one or more of the above-noted aspects orelements may be implemented by a processor, computer, and/or server thatmay include software.

The SPR cluster element 16 may work with 2G networks, 3G networks, 4Gnetworks, LTE networks, 5G networks, a network implementing acommunication channel as defined herein, and other technologies on oneor more platforms. The SPR cluster element 16 may provide and/or performlocation management, subscriber authentication, call handling, messagehandling, data usage, and the like. The use of the SPR cluster element16 may allow personalized services for a variety of user domains and maysimplify usage with user subscriptions that can be verified andauthenticated by the SPR cluster element 16. The SPR cluster element 16may also communicate with a third party 45 via a lightweight directoryaccess protocol (LDAP) element 25 or the like, and the third party 45may communicate with a bandwidth X system provider 43 (for pricesetting, tracking use, securely automating connections, and ensuringquality of service). The use of the LDAP element 25 or a similarapplication protocol may allow for the communication of profileinformation in a way that is carrier-neutral.

The policy management dashboard element 38 (also known as a Policy andCharging Rules Function dashboard (PCRF dashboard)) may be integratedwith the policy management platform 12. The policy management dashboardelement 38 may facilitate the communication of user and account data andanalytics with the policy management platform 12. The wireless device 10in the MVNO domain 40 may also communicate directly with the policymanagement platform 12 or, for example, via a self-service applicationserver 42. In one aspect, the wireless device 10 may submit a balancerequest through the self-service application server 42, which mayelectronically communicate with the policy management platform 12 torequest the user's account balance information. The policy managementplatform 12 may provide the account balance information to theself-service application server 42, which may transmit that informationback to the wireless device 10 for display and/or processing.

The policy management platform 12 may be configured to electronicallycommunicate with a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) cloud element 44via, for example, a live signaling feed 46. The MPLS cloud element 44may be scalable and may allow for protocol-independent communication.The MPLS cloud element 44 may allow the wireless device 10 to beconnected via the policy management platform 12 to a variety of wirelessnetworks associated with one or more carriers 300 as shown (carrier 1,carrier 2, carrier 3, . . . carrier n as shown). While the policymanagement platform 12 may be within the MVNO domain 40, the MPLS cloudelement 44 may be “edge-based” in a domain 48 (e.g., a 3C domain)outside of the carrier domain 49 of any wireless carrier 300 to whichthe MPLS cloud element 44 may connect the wireless device 10. The MPLScloud element 44 may have one or more processors and transceivers (notshown) configured to perform the functions described herein.

The MPLS cloud element 44 may receive a data packet and may determinebased on the type of the data packet where to route that data packet.The MPLS cloud element 44 may use a routing table to determine where totransmit the data packet based on the type of data packet. The MPLScloud element 44 may also employ a virtual private network (VPN) whichmay receive data packets. In one aspect, the MPLS cloud element 44 mayoperate on or near the exterior edge of a carrier 300 to efficientlyallow user access to a corresponding carrier domain 49.

The wireless networks may communicate with the MPLS cloud element 44 toaccess the wireless device 10 associated with the MVNO user account.Based on a selection of a network made by the wireless device 10, theMPLS cloud element 44 may switch the connection of the wireless device10 to the selected network. The selection of a network may be indicatedby a data packet sent to the MPLS cloud element 44. The MPLS cloudelement 44 may receive that data packet and, based on a routing tablestored therein, determine which network the MPLS cloud element 44 shouldconnect to the wireless device 10. One or more users associated with theMVNO user account may connect to one or more networks so that there maybe more than one wireless device 10 associated with the MVNO accountconnected to the same or a different network at the same time.

Each wireless carrier 300 may have its own SPR cluster (not shown) toverify and authenticate the wireless devices 10 associated with a useraccount. Each wireless carrier 300 may also have its own policymanagement platform (not shown) to track account usage. The wirelesscarriers 300 may communicate, via their policy management platforms backthrough the MPLS cloud element 44 and to the policy management platform12, usage data associated with the MVNO account for any and all wirelessdevices 10 connected to the wireless carrier 300. Likewise, a wirelessnetwork such as a Wi-Fi network may also track usage and communicatethat usage back through the MPLS cloud element 44 and to the policymanagement platform 12. In this manner, the MPLS cloud element 44 mayallow the policy management platform 12 to collect and aggregate allusage data associated with an MVNO account even when the usage data maycome from a variety of wireless networks. Each network may employ a homelocation register and/or home subscriber server (not shown), each ofwhich may provide a subscriber database and database management protocolfor a variety of platforms and wireless devices 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of the policy management platformthrough which a MVNO user may connect to at least one wireless carrieror network, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Inparticular, FIG. 2 shows a more detailed view of the policy managementplatform 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the policy management platform 12 mayconnect to a web portal server 50, the SPR cluster element 16, and ashort message service center (SMSC) element 52 via a web services layeror API integration element 18. The web portal server 50 may connect thewireless device 10 on the MVNO mobile web element 22 to the policymanagement platform 12. The MVNO billing system 54 may connect to thepolicy management platform 12 via the SPR cluster element 16 or moredirectly through the API integration element 18. The MVNO billing system54 may maintain account records, billing records, and the like for usersregistered for service on the MVNO.

The policy management platform 12 may have an interaction gateway 56, apolicy manager (also called a Policy and Charging Rules Function)element 58, a balance manager element 60, a profile manager element 62,an offer catalog element 64, a reporting and analytic dashboard element66, and the like. The policy management platform 12 may also communicatewith a monitoring system 36 and a centralized database 68 for monitoringand storing of usage data.

The interaction gateway 56 may communicate with the SPR cluster element16 to find and retrieve a user profile. If a user profile is invalid orhas not yet been updated, the interaction gateway 56 may notify thepolicy manager element 58 and balance manager element 60. Theinteraction gateway 56 may also notify the API integration element 18when data usage for the MVNO account on the MVNO billing system 54 hasreached or surpassed a threshold value that may represent the maximumusage for which a user has pre-paid.

The policy manager element 58 may receive usage data from a network, theusage data corresponding to the usage of the wireless device 10associated with a registered MVNO account, and may communicate a userprofile request to the interaction gateway 56. If the user profile isinvalid, the policy manager element 58 may receive a notification fromthe interaction gateway 56. If the user profile is valid, however, thepolicy manager element 58 may receive the user profile from the profilemanager element 62. When the user profile is valid, the policy managerelement 58 may also indicate to the balance manager element 60 that asession is open. The policy manager element 58 may, as it receives usagedata, communicate to the balance manager element 60 that the usage datahas reached or surpassed a predetermined usage threshold that mayrepresent the maximum usage for which a user has pre-paid.

The predetermined usage threshold may vary based on the user, thewireless device 10, the carrier 300, and/or the network. For example,each carrier 300 or network may have a predetermined usage limit for allcombined users associated with the MVNO user account. Similarly, eachcarrier 300 or network may have a predetermined usage limit for eachuser or each wireless device 10, or any combination of users or wirelessdevices 10. When the policy manager element 58 receives usage data, itmay determine that a particular user or wireless device 10 orcombination of multiple users and/or wireless devices 10 has reached thepredetermined usage threshold. The predetermined usage threshold mayalso vary based on each carrier 300 or network such that all usersand/or wireless devices 10 on the MVNO account may combine all of theirusage on a particular carrier 300 or network or on a combination ofcarriers 300 or networks to reach the predetermined usage threshold.Likewise, the predetermined usage threshold may not depend on thecarrier 300 or network, thus when MVNO account usage from one or morewireless carriers 300 or networks reaches the predetermined usagethreshold, regardless of where the usage was occurring, the policymanager element 58 may indicate to the balance manager element 60 thatthe predetermined usage threshold has been reached for one or morewireless devices 10 associated with the MVNO account.

The balance manager element 60 may receive notifications from theinteraction gateway 56 that the user profile has not yet been updated.For example, if a user has not yet established credit in the useraccount on the MVNO billing system 54, the balance manager element 60may create a default credit amount for a limited time. The defaultcredit amount may contain one or more usage thresholds corresponding toone or more time or data limits for one or more wireless devices 10 onthe account. Once the user profile has been established, the balancemanager element 60 may receive a request from the policy manager element58 to establish a usage session for the account and may providenotification to the policy manager element 58 that the usage session hasbegun.

The balance manager element 60 may also receive account usage updates,which may be provided by the policy manager element 58. If a user hasreached a predetermined account usage threshold, the balance managerelement 60 may provide notification to both the policy manager element58 and the interaction gateway 56. The balance manager element 60 mayalso provide user account balance information to the interaction gateway56.

The profile manager element 62 may receive user profile updates from theinteraction gateway 56 and may provide those user profile updates to thepolicy manager element 58. When a balance and/or threshold have beencreated, the profile manager element 62 may receive an acknowledgmentfrom the interaction gateway 56. When a subscriber uses the wirelessdevice 10 on a network, the profile manager element 62 may receive auser profile lookup request from the policy manager element 58 and maynotify the interaction gateway 56 that the user profile is valid orinvalid.

The policy management platform 12 may also use a simple networkmanagement protocol (SNMP) element 21 to communicate with a monitoringsystem 36 to monitor data usage. The policy management platform 12 maytransmit call detail records (CDRs) and/or usage detail records (UDRs)23 to a centralized database 68 for storage of usage data.

The policy management platform 12 may be edge-based, meaning that it maybe external to and proximately located relative to a carrier domain 49,but between the carrier domain 49 and the MVNO domain 40 in order tocapture usage data in a manner that is as close to real-time aspossible. The edge-based location of the policy management platform 12may allow for more efficient usage tracking and management by being ableto quickly collect and aggregate usage data from any wireless carrier300 or network that is authorized for use on any wireless device 10associated with the MVNO user account. The policy management platform 12may connect to a variety of wireless networks via the MPLS cloud element44, and the MPLS cloud element 44 may collect account usage data fromany carrier or network 300 used by the MVNO account and transmit thatdata to the policy management platform 12. The MPLS cloud element 44 maycommunicate with networks via an application such as “Gx over Gy,” whichmay allow for both provisioning and account control, and may employ aRadius accounting application, Diameter accounting application, or thelike.

The policy management platform 12 may also have a configuration managerelement 67. An administrator element 69 may access the policy managementplatform 12 via the configuration manager element 67, which may providea graphical user interface for an administrator element 69 to makechanges or updates to the policy management platform 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of how Radius (Remote access dial-in userservice) accounting may be used to communicate usage data from a networkto the policy management platform 12. Radius accounting may be used as atype of authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) method. Thenetwork may transmit a Radius start signal 302 to the policy managementplatform 12, and the policy management platform 12 may acknowledge 304to the network that the Radius start signal 302 has been received. Aninterim time period for usage data reporting may be preset 306, and whenthat time period has been reached, the network 300 may transmit a Radiusinterim signal 308 with account usage data to the policy managementplatform 12. In response, the policy management platform 12 may transmitan acknowledgment 310 to the network. The policy management platform 12may also transmit a signal to the MVNO API integration element 18communicating that the usage threshold has been reached 311.

The radius interim signal 308 may contain usage data associated with theMVNO account on the network or carrier 300. The Radius start signal 302may include user profile information such as an account number, a devicenumber, phone numbers associated with the account, account passwords,network access, device location, session identifiers, and the like.

When access to a network has been granted, a Radius start signal 302 mayindicate the start of a user's access. The radius interim signal 308 mayupdate the policy management platform 12 on the status of the user'sopen session, including usage data. When the user's session with thenetwork ends, a Radius stop signal 314 may indicate that the wirelessdevice 10 user's session has ended with the network.

When the policy management platform 12 determines that the predeterminedusage threshold has been reached for account usage, the policymanagement platform 12 may notify 311 the MVNO API integration element18. The MVNO API integration element 18 may transmit a state of charge(SOC) change 312 to the wireless carrier or network 300. This SOC change312 may be an enforcement request for the carrier or network 300 toterminate service with the wireless device 10 that has reached thepredetermined usage threshold or for all wireless devices 10 associatedwith the MVNO account that are connected to the carrier 300 or network.After a period of time, for example five minutes as shown in FIG. 3,after a user's service has been terminated, the network may transmit aRadius stop signal 314 to the policy management platform 12 to notifythe policy management platform 12 that Radius accounting is stopping. Inresponse, the policy management platform 12 may transmit anacknowledgment signal 316 to the network.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of Diameter accounting, which mayfacilitate the communication of usage data between a carrier 300 ornetwork to the policy management platform 12. Diameter accounting mayhave some benefits over Radius accounting, such as bidirectionalapplication models, handling more AAA requests, higher data limits, moreefficient transmissions, and so on. The network may transmit a creditcontrol request (CCR) 402 to the MVNO policy management platform 12,which may in return transmit an acknowledgment signal 404 back to thenetwork. After a time interval 406, the network may transmit a CCRupdate 408 to the MVNO policy management platform 12, which may transmitan acknowledgment signal 410 back to the network. The policy managementplatform 12 may also determine that the usage with a particular carrieror network 300 has reached the predetermined usage threshold and maysignal 411 to the MVNO API integration element 18 that the threshold hasbeen reached. In response, the MVNO API integration element 18 maytransmit an SOC change signal 412 to the network. This SOC change signal412 may be an enforcement request for the network to terminate servicewith the wireless device 10 that has reached the predetermined usagethreshold or with all wireless devices 10 associated with the MVNOaccount and that are connected to the network.

In response to receiving the enforcement request, the network mayterminate the connection between the wireless device 10 and the network.After a period of time, for example 5 minutes as shown in FIG. 4, afterthe service of the wireless device 10 has been terminated by thenetwork, the network may transmit a Diameter CCR signal 414 to thepolicy management platform 12 to notify the policy management platform12 that Diameter accounting is stopping. In response, the policymanagement platform 12 may transmit an acknowledgment signal 416 to thenetwork.

FIG. 5 illustrates the connection of core networks to the MVNO. Asshown, the policy management platform 12 may be edge-based and thereforenot within or operated by the carrier domain 49. But the policymanagement platform 12 may be located in between the MVNO billing system54 and the networks. The edge-based position of the policy managementplatform 12 may facilitate the efficient collection of account usagedata from one or more wireless networks, which may include, for example,a carrier 3G core 504, a carrier LTE core 506, a carrier billing server508, and/or the like.

The carrier billing server 508 may communicate policy changes to thecarrier 3G core 504 and carrier LTE core 506. The policy changescommunicated by the carrier billing server 508 may be provided by an SOCchange 510 provided by the MVNO billing system 54. The MVNO policymanagement platform 12 may communicate with the MVNO billing system 54via the API integration element 32. The policy management platform 12for the MVNO policy management platform 12 may communicate via Radiusand/or Diameter accounting with the 3G core 504, carrier LTE core 506,and the like on the carrier domain 49.

The communication between the MVNO billing system 54 and the carrierbilling server 508 may facilitate the communication of account and/orpolicy changes. The carrier billing server 508 may process accountand/or policy changes associated with an MVNO account and communicatethe changes to the carrier 3G core 504 and carrier LTE core 506. Theproximity of the policy management platform 12 to the carrier 3G core504 and to the carrier LTE core 506 may improve the speed with which thepolicy management platform 12 may collect and process user account datafor one or more wireless devices 10 associated with the user account.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary wireless device 10 and its potentialcomponents. The wireless device 10 may include a transceiver 612, adisplay 614, a computer readable medium 616, a processor 618, and anapplication 620. The transceiver 612 can include, for example, awireless antenna and associated circuitry capable of data transmissionwith the network utilizing at least one data transmission protocol, suchas, for example, 3G, 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), Evolution-DataOptimized (EVDO), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),W-CDMA (Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, acommunication channel as defined herein, and/or the like, and/orcombinations thereof. The transceiver 612 may transmit and receive dataover the data transmission protocol.

The display 614 of the wireless device 10 can be configured to displayvarious information provided to the display 614 from the processor 618of the wireless device 10, computer readable medium 616, or application620. The display 614 may be a light-emitting diode display (LED), anelectroluminescent display (ELD), a plasma display panel (PDP), a liquidcrystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED),or any other display technology.

The displayed information can include, for example, the amount ofprepaid wireless data service available, the network connectionstrength, the type of mobile network data connection (such as 3G, 4G,LTE, 5G, EVDO, etc.) the wireless device 10 is connected to, and/orother information potentially useful to the user. The information may bedisplayed simultaneously or the user may interact with an input devicesuch as buttons on the wireless device 10 or, if the display 614 is atouch-screen, with the icons on the display 614 to cycle through thevarious types of information for display. For example, the display 614may simultaneously show on the wireless device 10 the amount of prepaidwireless data service available, the network connection strength, andthe type of mobile network data connection. Alternatively, the display614 may only show one type of information, for example, the amount ofprepaid wireless data service available for the wireless device 10 orthe account associated with the wireless device 10. The display 614 maythen show other types of information if the user interacts with buttonson the wireless device 10 or, if the display 614 is a touch-screen, withicons on the display 614.

The computer readable medium 616 may be configured to store theapplication 620. For the purposes of this disclosure, computer readablemedium 616 stores computer data, which may include computer program codethat may be executable by the processor 618 of the wireless device 10 inmachine readable form. By way of example, and not limitation, thecomputer readable medium 616 may include computer readable storagemedia, for example tangible or fixed storage of data, or communicationmedia for transient interpretation of code-containing signals. Computerreadable storage media, as used herein, refers to physical or tangiblestorage (as opposed to signals) and includes without limitation volatileand non-volatile, removable and non-removable storage media implementedin any method or technology for the tangible storage of information suchas computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, orother data. In one or more aspects, the actions and/or events of amethod, algorithm, or module may reside as one or any combination or setof codes and/or instructions on a computer readable medium 616 ormachine readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computerprogram product. The computer readable medium 616 may also be configuredto store the values for the amount of wireless data service available,the amount of wireless data service used, how many days of wirelessservice have been used, how many days of wireless service remaining, andthe like. The computer readable medium 616 may also store informationsuch as the amount of data used for each domain, web address, wirelessdevice 10 application, or other web resource during a given time period,such as, for example, one billing cycle.

Additionally, the computer readable medium 616 may communicate to ordisplay on the display 614 the various metrics described above. Forexample, the computer readable medium 616 may communicate to or displayon the display 614 the amount of wireless data service used, the amountof wireless data service remaining on the account, how many days ofwireless service have been used, how many days of wireless serviceremaining, and the like. Similarly, the computer readable medium 616 mayalso communicate to or display on the display 614 the amount of datasent and received. Moreover, the computer readable medium 616 maycommunicate to or display on the display 614 the amount of data that maybe remaining from the previously purchased and/or credited amount ofdata.

The processor 618 may be configured to execute the application 620. Theprocessor 618 can be, for example, dedicated hardware as defined herein,a computing device as defined herein, a microprocessor, a programmablelogic array (PLA), a programmable array logic (PAL), a generic arraylogic (GAL), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmablegate array (FPGA), or any other programmable logic device (PLD)configurable to execute the metering client.

The application 620 may be a software application configured to trackprepaid data usage and the remaining amount of prepaid data available.The application 620 may be written in any programming language, such as,for example, C, Java, Objective-C, C+, Python, Visual Basic, Perl, orany other programming language the processor 618 is capable ofexecuting. The metering client 620 may also meter how much data has beenused on a given domain, web address, wireless device 10 application, orother web resource.

FIG. 7 shows the process of provisioning the wireless device 10 on theMVNO policy management platform 12. The policy management platform 12may include the policy manager element 58, the balance manager element60, the profile manager element 62, and the interaction gateway 56. Thepolicy management platform 12 may be configured to communicate with theMVNO domain 40. The MVNO domain 40 may include the SPR cluster element16, the API integration element 18, and the MVNO billing system 54. Boththe policy management platform 12 and the MVNO domain 40 may have one ormore processors (not shown) to perform the operations described herein.

First the subscriber 710 may purchase an air time card 701 from aretailer, the air time card 701 represents air time (wireless accessincluding voice, text messages, data, access days, and/or the like).Alternatively or additionally air time may be purchased via the web,over the phone (interactive voice response system), or the like. When asubscriber has purchased air time and associates it with an account, theMVNO billing system 54 may be notified. The MVNO billing system 54 maytransmit a profile update signal 703 to the MVNO SPR cluster element 16.The MVNO SPR cluster element 16 may update the subscriber account andmay provide a subscriber update 705 to the interaction gateway 56 of thepolicy management platform 12. The interaction gateway 56 may provide aprofile update 707 to the profile manager element 62 and may alsoprovide an account balance update 709 to the balance manager element 60.Upon receiving an account balance update 709, the balance managerelement 60 may notify the interaction gateway 56 that an account balanceand any thresholds have been created 711. The interaction gateway 56 maythen transmit a notification to the MVNO profile manager element 62 toacknowledge 713 that the balance and any thresholds have been created.

FIG. 8 shows the process of provisioning the wireless device 10 on theMVNO policy management platform 12 when a user profile is invalid or hasnot been updated. The policy management platform 12 may be arrangedexternal to the network, and may include the policy manager element 58,the balance manager element 60, and the interaction gateway 56. Thepolicy management platform 12 may be configured to communicate with theMVNO domain 40. The MVNO domain 40 may include the SPR cluster element16, the API integration element 18, and the MVNO billing system 54. Boththe policy management platform 12 and the MVNO domain 40 may have one ormore processors (not shown) to perform the operations described herein.

When a subscriber 710 has connected the wireless device 10 to a network,the network may provide usage data 801 to the policy manager element 58.Upon receiving usage data from the network, the policy manager element58 may transmit a request profile signal 803 to the interaction gateway56. The interaction gateway 56 may then transmit a profile lookuprequest 805 to the MVNO SPR cluster element 16, which may then determinewhether the user profile is valid. If the MVNO SPR cluster element 16determines that the user profile is invalid, the MVNO SPR clusterelement 16 may return an invalid profile signal 807 to the interactiongateway 56. Once the interaction gateway 56 has been notified that auser profile request has rendered an invalid profile message, theinteraction gateway 56 may transmit an invalid profile signal 809 to thepolicy manager element 58. The interaction gateway 56 may also notifythe balance manager element 60 with a notification signal that thesubscriber profile has not yet been updated 811. If there is no creditin the user account, the balance manager element 60 may create a defaultpackage with a limited usage time for the account 813.

FIG. 9 shows the process of starting a user session with usage datareporting on the policy management platform 12. The policy managementplatform 12 may include the policy manager element 58, the balancemanager element 60, and the profile manager element 62. The policymanagement platform may be arranged externally from the network and maybe configured to communicate with the MVNO domain 40. The MVNO domain 40may include the SPR cluster element 16, the API integration element 18,and the MVNO billing system 54. Both the policy management platform 12and the MVNO domain 40 may have one or more processors (not shown) toperform the operations described herein.

The network to which a subscriber 710 has connected the wireless device10 may transmit usage data 901 to the policy manager element 58, whichmay then transmit a profile request 903 to the profile manager element62. The profile manager element 62 may transmit a return profile message905 to the profile manager element 62. Once the profile has beenreturned to the profile manager element 62, the profile manager element62 may transmit an authentication and authorization request 907 to thebalance manager element 60 to activate a user session. Once the balancemanager element 60 has been requested to start a user session, thebalance manager element 60 may communicate account balance informationto the policy manager element 58 with an authentication andauthorization answer 909.

FIG. 10 shows the process of tracking data usage with the policymanagement platform 12. The policy management platform 12 may bearranged external to the carrier or network 300, and may include thepolicy manager element 58, the balance manager element 60, and theinteraction gateway 56. The policy management platform 12 may beconfigured to communicate with the MVNO domain 40. The MVNO domain 40may include the SPR cluster element 16, the API integration element 18,and the MVNO billing system 54. Both the policy management platform 12and the MVNO domain 40 may have one or more processors (not shown) toperform the operations described herein.

The network to which a subscriber 710 has connected the wireless device10 may provide usage data 101 to the policy manager element 58. In oneexample, the data usage reported may exceed a usage threshold set at 75%for the purposes of this example. Upon receiving the data usage from thenetwork, the policy management platform 12 may provide a usage updatewith an authentication and authorization request 103 to the balancemanager element 60. The balance manager element 60 may then transmit anauthentication and authorization answer 105 to the policy managerelement 58 to indicate that the 75% threshold has been reached. Thebalance manager element 60 may also notify 107 the interaction gateway56 that the 75% has been reached. Once the interaction gateway 56 hasreceived notification from the balance manager element 60 that the 75%threshold has been reached, the interaction gateway 56 may transmit anotification 109 to the MVNO API integration element 18 that the 75%threshold has been reached.

When the MVNO API integration element 18 has been notified that thepredetermined usage threshold has been reached, the MVNO DOMAIN 40 maydetermine whether or not to request the network to disconnect thewireless device 10 and whether or not to notify the subscriber 710 thatthe predetermined usage threshold has been reached. This determinationmay be performed manually or automatically with one or more processors(not shown). One response the MVNO DOMAIN 40 may choose is to warn thesubscriber 710 that any and/or all wireless devices 10 are approachingthe usage threshold beyond which the wireless device 10 or all wirelessdevices 10 on the account may have their access terminated.

Another example of how the MVNO DOMAIN 40 may respond to thenotification that usage data has surpassed the predetermined usagethreshold may be to transmit a notification 121 to the subscriber's 710wireless device 10. In such an example, the network may provide usagedata 111 to the policy manager element 58. In one example, if the usagethreshold is 80%, the policy manager element 58 may transmit anauthentication and authorization request 113 with a usage update to thebalance manager element 60. The balance manager element 60 may respondwith an authentication and authorization answer 115 notifying the policymanager element 58 that the 80% threshold has been reached on theaccount. The balance manager element 60 may also transmit a notificationsignal 117 to the interaction gateway 56 that the 80% threshold has beenreached. In response, the interaction gateway 56 may transmit anotification 119 to the MVNO API integration element 18 that the 80%threshold has been reached. The MVNO DOMAIN 40 may determine that thesubscriber 710 should be notified that the wireless device 10 or allwireless devices 10 have reached the 80% threshold and are approachingthe full usage allowance for the account. In such an example, the MVNOAPI integration element 18 may transmit a message via SMS or email asthe notification 121 to the subscriber's 710 wireless device 10 or toall subscriber 710 wireless devices 10. The usage thresholds may be setat any value.

The determination by the MVNO DOMAIN 40 as to whether or not to notify asubscriber's 710 wireless device 10 of usage data may be based on eachindividual subscriber 710 or wireless device 10, and/or on apredetermined usage amount per carrier 300 or per multiple carriers 300and/or networks. Thus if one wireless device 10 associated with the MVNOaccount reaches the predetermined usage threshold for a particularcarrier 300 or network or for any combination of carriers 300 and/ornetworks, the MVNO DOMAIN 40 may notify that wireless device 10subscriber 710 or any combination of wireless device 10 subscribers 710associated with the account that the usage threshold has been reached.

FIG. 11 illustrates the process of tracking usage data and managing theMVNO account with the policy management platform 12. The edge-basedpolicy management platform 12 may receive 110 usage data from eachcarrier or network 300 to closely reflect real-time usage. The usagedata could include wireless device 10 location, session codes, type ofdata, type of wireless service, amount of wireless service, provider ofwireless service, and the like. The policy management platform 12 mayupdate 112 the MVNO user account based on the usage data collected. TheMVNO user account may track usage per carrier 300 or network and/or anaggregate usage data based on any combination of carriers 300 ornetworks. The MVNO account may also track usage per subscriber 710and/or wireless device 10 associated with the MVNO account, or mayaggregate usage for any combination of subscribers 710 and/or wirelessdevices 10 associated with the MVNO account.

Based on the usage data collected, the policy management platform 12 maydetermine 114 whether a magnitude of data usage from any or all carriers300 and/or networks has exceeded a predetermined maximum value. If not,then the policy management platform 12 may continue to receive 110 usagedata from any network 300. If the predetermined maximum value has beenexceeded, however, the policy management platform 12 or MVNO DOMAIN 40may determine 116 whether to terminate usage. Usage termination caninclude all wireless devices 10 associated with the MVNO account or anycombination of wireless devices 10 associated with the MVNO account. Ifthe policy management platform 12 or MVNO DOMAIN 40 determines thatusage should be terminated, the policy management platform 12 or MVNODOMAIN 40 may use an enforcement solution (not shown) which may send 118a termination request to the network requesting the termination ofservice of any wireless device 10 associated with the MVNO account. Thepolicy management platform 12 may also verify 120 data usage with eachnetwork to ensure that data reporting and collection is accurate. If thepolicy management platform 12 or the MVNO DOMAIN 40 decides not toterminate usage, the process may continue at step 110 to receive datausage.

FIG. 12 illustrates the process of a network reporting usage data to theMVNO policy management platform 12. When a user attempts to connect thewireless device 10 to a network, the network may authenticate 122 thewireless device 10. The wireless device 10 may connect to a gatewaysupport node (not shown—see FIG. 2 “GGSN/PGW” on carriers and network300) associated with a carrier 300, and the gateway support node mayauthenticate 122 an account with an SPR (not shown). A gateway supportnode may be a router. Authentication 122 can include verifying a useraccount on the network and whether the network has a service agreementwith the MVNO DOMAIN 40. Once a user device has been authenticated 122,the network may start 124 Radius accounting, Diameter accounting, and/orsimilar wireless service accounting to provide usage data to the MVNOpolicy management platform 12, as explained above. The network may haveits own policy management platform (not shown) to track usage data, andthe network may provide 126 interval reports to the MVNO policymanagement platform 12. If an MVNO DOMAIN 40 or MVNO policy managementplatform 12 transmits a request to the network to terminate service, thenetwork may receive 128 such enforcement commands and may stop 130Radius and/or Diameter accounting upon terminating service to thewireless device 10.

Additionally, although the disclosure references specific protocols andprocesses such as the radius accounting process, the diameter accountingprocess and the like, the disclosure is equally applicable to any othertype of similar protocols and processes. In other words, the disclosureis equally applicable to similar or analogous systems and processeswhether currently applied or subsequently established.

Accordingly, as described herein, the policy management solutioncombines all carrier feeds into one platform where service plans can becreated across multiple carriers. The policy management solution allowsthe service provider to make real-time decisions related to subscriberaccess to network resources based on factors such as volume, speed,application type, and/or priority. Real-time control over what, when,where, and how subscribers may access content and services may allow theservice provider to deliver innovative and personalized services thatenhance end-user experience.

Further in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, themethods described herein are intended for operation with dedicatedhardware implementations including, but not limited to PCs, PDAs, SIMcards, semiconductors, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC),programmable logic arrays, cloud computing devices, and other hardwaredevices constructed to implement the methods described herein.

The disclosure may include communication channels that may be any typeof wired or wireless electronic communications network, such as, e.g., awired/wireless local area network (LAN), a wired/wireless personal areanetwork (PAN), a wired/wireless home area network (HAN), awired/wireless wide area network (WAN), a campus network, a metropolitannetwork, an enterprise private network, a virtual private network (VPN),an internetwork, a backbone network (BBN), a global area network (GAN),the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, an overlay network, a cellulartelephone network, a Personal Communications Service (PCS), using knownprotocols such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (Wideband Code-DivisionMultiple Access), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Long TermEvolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, 5G, EVolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) and/or thelike, and/or a combination of two or more thereof.

The disclosure may be implemented in any type of computing devices, suchas, e.g., a desktop computer, personal computer, a laptop/mobilecomputer, a personal data assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tabletcomputer, cloud computing device, and the like, with wired/wirelesscommunications capabilities via the communication channels.

In an aspect, the disclosure may be implemented in any type of mobilesmartphones that are operated by any type of advanced mobile dataprocessing and communication operating system, such as, e.g., an Apple™iOS™ operating system, a Google™ Android™ operating system, a RIM™Blackberry™ operating system, a Nokia™ Symbian™ operating system, aMicrosoft™ Windows Mobile™ operating system, a Microsoft™ Windows Phone™operating system, a Linux™ operating system or the like.

It should also be noted that the software implementations of thedisclosure as described herein are optionally stored on a tangiblestorage medium, such as: a magnetic medium such as a disk or tape; amagneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk; or a solid statemedium such as a memory card or other package that houses one or moreread-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or otherre-writable (volatile) memories. A digital file attachment to email orother self-contained information archive or set of archives isconsidered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storagemedium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include a tangiblestorage medium or distribution medium, as listed herein and includingart-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the softwareimplementations herein are stored.

Aspects of the disclosure may include a server executing an instance ofan application or software configured to accept requests from a clientand giving responses accordingly. The server may run on any computerincluding dedicated computers. The computer may include at least oneprocessing element, typically a central processing unit (CPU), and someform of memory. The processing element may carry out arithmetic andlogic operations, and a sequencing and control unit may change the orderof operations in response to stored information. The server may includeperipheral devices that may allow information to be retrieved from anexternal source, and the result of operations saved and retrieved. Theserver may operate within a client-server architecture. The server mayperform some tasks on behalf of clients. The clients may connect to theserver through the network on a communication channel as defined herein.The server may use memory with error detection and correction, redundantdisks, redundant power supplies and so on.

Additionally, the various aspects of the disclosure may be implementedin a non-generic computer implementation. Moreover, the various aspectsof the disclosure set forth herein improve the functioning of the systemas is apparent from the disclosure hereof. Furthermore, the variousaspects of the disclosure involve computer hardware that it specificallyprogrammed to solve the complex problem addressed by the disclosure.Accordingly, the various aspects of the disclosure improve thefunctioning of the system overall in its specific implementation toperform the process set forth by the disclosure and as defined by theclaims.

While the device, system, and method have been described in terms ofwhat are presently considered to be specific aspects, the disclosureneed not be limited to the disclosed aspects. It is intended to covervarious modifications and similar arrangements included within thespirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accordedthe broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modificationsand similar structures. The present disclosure includes any and allaspects of the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A system for multiple wireless network usage trackingresponsive to a multiprotocol switching element, the multiprotocolswitching element configured to receive wireless usage data from each ofa plurality of wireless carriers, the system comprising: a policymanagement platform implemented having at least one processor configuredto receive the wireless usage data from the multiprotocol switchingelement that was received from each of the plurality of wirelesscarriers; a subscriber profile repository (SPR) cluster elementconfigured to perform at least one of the following: locationmanagement, subscriber authentication, call handling, message handling,and data usage; the policy management platform is configured tocommunicate with the subscriber profile repository (SPR) cluster elementvia an Active Programming Interface (API) integration element; and thepolicy management platform being configured to calculate account usagedata associated with an account profile based on the wireless usage datareceived from each of the plurality of wireless carriers, wherein thepolicy management platform is implemented externally from at least oneof the plurality of wireless carriers.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein: the policy management platform is configured to exchangeauthentication, authorization, and accounting communications with eachof the plurality of wireless carriers that comprise at least one of thefollowing: Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocolcommunications and Diameter protocol communications, and the policymanagement platform is further configured to transmit a notificationmessage to a mobile virtual network operator that the wireless usagedata has reached a predetermined usage threshold based on theauthentication, authorization, and accounting communications with eachof the plurality of wireless carriers.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein: the multiprotocol switching element comprises at least oneprocessor; the policy management platform is configured to exchangeauthentication, authorization, and accounting communications with eachof the plurality of wireless carriers that comprise at least one of thefollowing: Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocolcommunications and Diameter protocol communications; the policymanagement platform is further configured to collect, from at least onegateway support node associated with each of the plurality wirelesscarriers, the wireless usage data based on the authentication,authorization, and accounting communications with each of the pluralityof wireless carriers; and the policy management platform is furtherconfigured to aggregate the wireless usage data associated with each ofthe plurality wireless carriers in the account profile.
 4. The system ofclaim 3, wherein: the policy management platform is further configuredto determine whether the collected and aggregated wireless usage data ofthe wireless carriers has reached a predetermined usage threshold; andeach of the plurality of wireless carriers implement a subscriberprofile repository (SPR).
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein: the policymanagement platform is further configured to transmit a terminationrequest to one of the wireless carriers in response to determining thatthe collected and aggregated wireless usage data for one of the wirelesscarriers has reached the predetermined usage threshold; and each of theplurality of wireless carriers implement a policy management platformconfigured to track wireless usage.
 6. The system of claim 3, wherein:each of the plurality of wireless carriers implement a policy managementplatform configured to track wireless usage; the policy managementplatform is further configured to determine whether the collected andaggregated wireless usage data associated with the account profile hasexceeded a predetermined usage threshold; and the multiprotocolswitching element is configured to be edge-based in a domain.
 7. Thesystem of claim 6, further comprising an enforcement manager, wherein:the policy management platform is configured to notify the enforcementmanager when the wireless usage data associated with the account profilehas exceeded the predetermined usage threshold; and each of theplurality of wireless carriers implement a subscriber profile repository(SPR).
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein: the policy management platformis configured to exchange authentication, authorization, and accountingcommunications with each of the plurality of wireless carriers thatcomprise at least one of the following: Remote Authentication Dial-InUser Service (RADIUS) protocol communications and Diameter protocolcommunications; and the policy management platform is further configuredto transmit a message to a wireless device notifying the wireless devicethat the wireless usage data has exceeded a predetermined usagethreshold based on the authentication, authorization, and accountingcommunications with each of the plurality of wireless carriers.
 9. Adevice for multiple wireless network usage tracking configured toreceive wireless usage data from a plurality of wireless networksthrough a multiprotocol switching element for an account profileassociated with at least one wireless device, the device having one ormore processors configured to: aggregate the wireless usage data fromeach of the wireless networks for the account profile with a policymanagement platform; perform with a subscriber profile repository (SPR)cluster element at least one of the following: location management,subscriber authentication, call handling, message handling, and datausage; communicate between the policy management platform and thesubscriber profile repository (SPR) cluster element via an ActiveProgramming Interface (API) integration element; determine whether theaggregate of the wireless usage data from the account profile hasreached a predetermined usage threshold with the policy managementplatform; and transmit a termination request with the policy managementplatform to one or more of the plurality of wireless networks, thetermination request requesting termination of a wireless service to theat least one wireless device, wherein the policy management platform isimplemented externally from at least one of the plurality of wirelessnetworks.
 10. A method for multiple wireless network usage tracking inresponse to receiving wireless usage data from each of a plurality ofwireless carriers with a multiprotocol switching element, themultiprotocol switching element having one or more processors, themethod comprising: connecting a policy management platform having one ormore processors to each of the plurality of wireless carriers throughthe multiprotocol switching element; receiving with the policymanagement platform the wireless usage data from each of a plurality ofwireless carriers for an account profile operatively linked to at leastone wireless device registered on the account profile and configured toconnect to the wireless carriers; performing with a subscriber profilerepository (SPR) cluster element at least one of the following: locationmanagement, subscriber authentication, call handling, message handling,and data usage; communicating between the policy management platform andthe subscriber profile repository (SPR) cluster element via an ActiveProgramming Interface (API) integration element; aggregating thewireless usage data at the policy management platform; and determiningwith the policy management platform, in response to aggregating thewireless usage data, whether the wireless usage data has reached apredetermined usage threshold, wherein the policy management platform isimplemented externally from at least one of the plurality of wirelesscarriers.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting atermination request, with the policy management platform to at least oneof the plurality of wireless carriers to terminate a wireless servicebetween the wireless device and at least one of the plurality ofwireless carriers; and exchanging authentication, authorization, andaccounting communications between the policy management platform andeach of the plurality of wireless carriers to obtain the wireless usagedata.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising exchangingauthentication, authorization, and accounting communications between thepolicy management platform and each of the plurality of wirelesscarriers to obtain the wireless usage data, wherein receiving thewireless usage data further comprises receiving the wireless usage datatransmitted with at least one of the following: a radius protocol fromat least one of the wireless carriers and a diameter protocol from atleast one of the wireless carriers.
 13. The method of claim 12, whereineach of the plurality wireless carriers implement a policy managementplatform configured to track wireless usage; and wherein receiving thewireless usage data comprises receiving the wireless usage data atpredetermined time intervals.
 14. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising exchanging authentication, authorization, and accountingcommunications between the policy management platform and each of theplurality of wireless carriers to obtain the wireless usage data,wherein the predetermined usage threshold for the wireless usage datacomprises a usage limit for each of the plurality of wireless carriers.15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether the wirelessusage data has reached the predetermined usage threshold furthercomprises determining, with the policy management platform, whether thewireless usage data for at least one of the plurality of wirelesscarriers has reached the usage limit for at least one of the wirelesscarriers based on the authentication, authorization, and accountingcommunications with each of the plurality of wireless carriers.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, further comprising transmitting a terminationrequest, with the policy management platform to at least one of theplurality of wireless carriers, to terminate a wireless service betweenthe wireless device and at least one of the plurality of wirelesscarriers in response to determining that the wireless usage data for atleast one of the wireless carriers has reached the usage limit, whereineach of the plurality of wireless carriers implement a subscriberprofile repository (SPR).
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprisingverifying the wireless usage data with the policy management platform,wherein the policy management platform is configured to verify thewireless usage data with the plurality of wireless carriers, whereineach of the plurality wireless carriers implement a policy managementplatform configured to track wireless usage.
 18. The method of claim 14,wherein: determining whether the wireless usage data has reached thepredetermined usage threshold further comprises determining, with thepolicy management platform, whether the wireless usage data for two ormore of the plurality of wireless carriers has reached the usage limitfor two or more of the wireless carriers; and each of the pluralitywireless carriers implement a policy management platform configured totrack wireless usage.
 19. The method of claim 10, further comprisingexchanging authentication, authorization, and accounting communicationsbetween the policy management platform and each of the plurality ofwireless carriers to obtain the wireless usage data, wherein thepredetermined usage threshold for the wireless usage data comprises ausage limit for two or more of the plurality of wireless carriers incombination.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining whether thewireless usage data has reached the predetermined usage thresholdfurther comprises determining, with the policy management platform,whether the wireless usage data for the two or more of the plurality ofwireless carriers in combination has reached the usage limit for the twoor more of the plurality of wireless carriers in combination; andwherein each of the plurality of wireless carriers implement asubscriber profile repository (SPR).